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Health Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms

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What if we told you that there is a magic mushroom that can help protect you from viruses, cancer, and even combat chronic fatigue? Really, there is!

We’re talking about Ganoderma Lucidum or reishi. It’s called the “mushroom of immortality. It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for eons. It’s touted as a miracle-working mushroom for good reason.

These days, it’s not uncommon to find reishi on the grocery store shelf. There are products for people, and it can even be helpful for pets, too!

Read on to learn about the health benefits of reishi mushrooms and how you can safely enjoy their benefits.

What is Reishi?

There are a few different types of reishi that grow around the world. Ganoderma Lucidum is the most widely used in commercial products. Bright red with a shining surface, these reishi mushrooms grow on oak and plum tree trunks.

 Reishi mushrooms are also produced on a commercial scale for a range of products.

The mushroom itself could be eaten whole, but are extremely bitter. They are best consumed in tincture, capsule, tea, or powder form.

These fungi are chock-full of beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are polysaccharides, or sugars, that live in cell walls. They are proven to help those with heart disease as well as high cholesterol.

The effects of Ganoderma Lucidum go far beyond that, though.

Reishi in Traditional Chinese Medicine

The power of reishi is not a new secret. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners have cherished this incredible “God of Mushrooms” for thousands of years.

Chinese medicine says that reishi benefits users both in vitality and spiritual potency. Taoist monks use it in their meditative practices because of its calming effects.

Reishi symbolizes success, well-being, divine power, and longevity.

in fatigue, forgetfulness, insomnia, listlessness, and poor appetite.

It is also used to reduce coughing and asthma symptoms. TCM also prescribes it for heart palpitations, dizziness, and insomnia.

Reishi is much more than a folk medicine. It’s widely considered to be an indispensable herb. Some say that it should always be kept in your medicine box. This mushroom is useful for the treatment of many maladies.

Health Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms

TCM practitioners were on to something. This was before scientists could look at reishi mushrooms under a microscope. Now we can break down exactly what about them is so beneficial for health.

Under a microscope, we see why reishi is so vitally beneficial. Over 400 nutrients come together for immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects. These include polysaccharides, triterpenes, alkaloids, and sterols.

One positive effect reishi has on the body is detoxification. Their use can help liver cells regenerate faster. This process releases free radicals. This promotes overall health, wellness, and quality of life.

Reishi has a positive effect on liver function. This can help with some forms of Hepatitis from liver damage. This is due to the effect of ganoderic acid. Ganoderic acid can protect cells from many illnesses.

In a similar vein, reishi fights chronic fatigue syndrome. It relaxes the nervous system. This helps as a sleep aid and for insomnia treatment. It is gently sedative. This helps you fall asleep faster and get more rest throughout the night.

Beta-glucans are known for regulating the immune system or being adaptogenic. They help to balance the body’s hormones, combatting infections and stress that can cause chronic tiredness. Because of this, it also helps those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Beta-glucans also help to fight free radicals and improve white blood cell count. Thus, reishi is antiviral. It helps the body fend off viruses, bacteria, and other illnesses.

Thanks to immunological and antioxidant effects, reishi supports those fighting cancer.

Beta-glucans target abnormal and cancerous cells. Because of this, they can slow or stop tumor growth.

and protect against hypertension. This combination reduces high blood pressure and fights cardiovascular disease.

TCM practitioners use reishi for the respiratory system. Reishi helps with asthma by clearing phlegm from the lungs and easing coughs.

Reishi also has a hypoglycemic effect. It helps increase insulin response and balance blood sugar. This means that it can be helpful in helping treat and prevent diabetes.

Research Behind Reishi

With so many potential benefits of reishi, scientists and doctors have taken a special interest in studying it.

One study on human patients demonstrated the mushroom’s effect on histamine responses. It showed reishi had a positive effect on allergic and asthmatic reactions.

Clinical trials have been done on patients working through advanced stages of cancer. Animal studies have shown that the use of reishi inhibits tumor growth. Also, those who use reishi during treatment felt they had a better quality of life during that time.

It is much more common to find studies done in labs on human cells than on humans themselves. One study showed reishi’s effects on Alzheimer’s disease, prostate, breast, and other cancers. The same study is investigating it as a lymphoma treatment.

Many of these cancers are especially vicious. They have low survival rates even with chemotherapy treatment. This is where reishi can be helpful as an additional therapeutic treatment.

Taking Reishi

There are many ways to take reishi medicinally. One can chop up the full fruiting body of the mushroom and make it into a tea. This is very bitter. Other options are easier and even more potent.

Many reishi powders and capsules don’t use the fruiting body, or the mushroom itself. Instead, they’re made from mycelium. Mycelium is the network of bacteria that grows before the fruiting body does, sort of like a root system.

Dosage and Safety Information

The dose recommended by traditional practitioners is .5 to 1 gram daily, between 2 and 5 grams daily for chronic illnesses, and up to 15 grams of extract like ours for serious illnesses.

pharmacopeia.

There are some potential adverse effects to be aware of when taking reishi. These include risk of bleeding from the nose, dizziness, dry mouth, upset stomach, bone pain, skin irritation, diarrhea, and constipation.

Stop taking reishi if you experience any side effects and contact your doctor.

Reishi may increase the risk of these side effects when taken in large doses. When taken in appropriate dosages, reishi is reasonably safe to add to your daily regimen.

In human trials, there has been no evidence of liver, renal, or DNA toxicity linked to reishi use. Currently, no trials have been done to investigate its effects on pregnant or lactating women.

No matter what, seek medicinal mushroom medical advice first from your doctor.

There are so many reasons to love Ganoderma Lucidum. For generations, TCM practitioners have seen the immense benefits it provides to their patients.

It’s a mainstay in many people’s medicine bag because of its wide variety of medicinal potentials. Whether you need support because of a major event or you want to boost your immune system, reishi could be helpful for you.

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